Railway transfer-table



C. FARWELL.

RAILWAY TRANSFER TABLE.

I APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1918. 1,324,805. Patented Dec. 16,1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

3 SHEETS SHYEET 2.

Gum/M4 C. FARWELL.

RAILWAY TRANSFER TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, I918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

CHARLES FARWELL, 0F LOCK HAVELLPENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY TRANSFER-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

Application filed July 15, 1918. Serial No. 244,926.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES FARWELL, a' citizen of the United States, residing at Lock Haven, county of Clinton, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Transfer-Tables, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for shifting railway rolling stock from one track to another, and more specifically my invention relates to railway transfer tables. 7

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for shifting railway rolling stock from one track to another, as from the main track to a siding, or vice versa, without the employment of frogs, switches, etc. A further and particular object of my invention is to provlde means for the purpose mentioned whereby the'rails of the main track or tracks are left intact, that is, without grooves, frogs, switches or any breaks whatever thereby adding greatly to the safety of travel thereon. A further and particular object of my invention is topro, vide, in a transfer table of the class mentioned, means for maintainin the transfer tableupon its track which sha ll not necessi tate grooving the railsjofthe main trackto accommodate the same. Further objects of my invention are to provide a device of the class mentioned which may be installed and maintained at a lower cost than the ordinary switches. Other objects will appear here inafter. i V

Withthese objects in view my invention consists generally in providing a transfer table of low construction mounted for lateral movement upon transversely disposed rails and equipped with means for moving the table from the trackto the siding or vice versa; My invention further consists in a transfer table as stated further characterized by depending pivoted members adapted to V engage the sides of the transfer 'railslto maintain the table thereon and of such construction as to ride freely over the rails of the main track without necessitating grooving of the main rail tracks to accommodate the same-and without becoming ineffective while passing-over said rails. My

invention further consists in various details oflconstruction and arrangements of parts all as will be fully described hereinafter and particularly ointed out in theclaims. I

My inventionwill be more readily under stood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which,

Figure l is a plan view of a transfer table embodying my invention, illustrating the table slightly removed from position in alinement with the siding.

Fig. 2is a transverse section on the line 22 of Fig. l, I

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section'onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a detail view upon a large scale illustrating one of the depending rail engaging members in' the act of passing over one of the main rails,

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view, partially in section of a portion of the transfer table.

, Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the shoes for connecting the rails of the transfer table with the rails of the main trating a construction whereby the transfer table may be utilized for transferring rolling stock from either of the maintracks to a siding,

Figs. 8 and 9 are similar diagrammatic plan'views illustrating various methods of operating the table and Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views of modified forms of the'track engaging the transfer table.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive of the drawings 15 indicates the rails of the through'or main track and 16 the rails of a siding. Arranged to travel laterally be-' tween the main track and thesiding is the transfer table proper comprising a pair of parallel rails 17 andtransverse connecting members 19 and 20. The members 19 serve merely as ties to connect and prevent spreadportion of p ing of the rails 17. The members 20 are arranged in. pairs adjacent the ends" of the rails 17 and have their ends securedto the webs of the rails as indicated at 21 in Figs; 4 and 5 of the drawings. Mounted between maintrack and the siding. The tableabove described is of low construction-so as to bring the plane of the tops ofthe rails 17 V as: close to the plane of the main track and siding as possible, andfthe ends of the rails 7' eq ipped withinclinedfor wedge; shape shoes 17 to facilitate theipassageof" the rolling stock from the transfer table to the tracks or from the tracks to the table, as will be clearly understood. In order to prevent spreading of the shoes 17 when in use, said shoes are provided with depending lugs 2% which engage the inner edges of the balls of the rails 15 or 16 as the rolling stock is passing between the transfer table and the track. It is obvious that when the transfer table is moved the shoes must be lifted in order to raise the lugs 2-l above the track and to this end the shoes are pivoted as at 25 and a spring 26 bearing against the shoe tends to normally maintain the outer end of the shoe in raised position, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to avoid cutting or grooving the tracks of the main rail in any way whatever, and to this end the wheels 22 of the transfer table are formed without flanges thereby avoiding necessity of grooving the rails 15. However, means must be employed to maintain the unflanged wheels on the tracks and to this end I provide the depending piw oted members 27 preferably mounted upon. the axle or pintle 28 of the wheels, and preferably one upon each side thereof, as shown clearly in Fig. 5. Each of these depending members comprise a pair of divergent curved arms 2)29 having curved or cam shaped lower edges 30. The lower edge of the member is upwardly recessed as at 31, the edge of this recess merging into the cam shaped edges of the arms. See Fig. l. The recess is snflicient to. accommodate the ball'of the rail 15 when directly above the same with the member 27 hanging normally, and the ends of the arms 29 extend slightly above the plane of the upper faces of the balls of the track rails. By this construction as the member 27 approaches the track15 one of the arms rides up and over the same as shown in Fig. l, at which time the other arm is depressed. This construction allows the members 27 to pass over the rails 15 and atthe same time maintain depending flanges upon each side of the wheels 22 to retain the samev on the rails 23.

Various means may be employed f0 shifting the transfer table between the tracks.

As shown in Fig. l of the drawings I may .cmploy fluid pressure for this purpose. '1 0 this end a cylinder 32 is conveniently ar ranged ad acentthe tracks and 1s provided with a-piston (not shown) and a piston-rod 33 connected to the transfer table. Pipes 3-l lead to the opposite ends of the cylinder to points adjacent the ends of the transfer table Where they are provided w th couplings 35 for attaching the same to a source of fluid supply For this purpose the pipes may be connected to the pump of the locomot v or to a separate pump or source of fluid supply as is. desired; ltijs obvious that by'admitting fluid to the proper end of the ylinder the transfer table may be shifted as desired.

Suitable stops are provided to limit the movement of the table with relation to the main track and the siding. To this end the table is provided with depending lugs 36 which, when the transfer table is overthe main track, engage the outer edges of the rails 15 thereby limiting the movement of the table in one direction. is in alinement with the siding the lugs 36 engage stops 37 arranged adjacent the siding as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated diagrammatically an arrangement whereby the table is adapted to operate between either of the tracks of a double track railway and the siding. The only modification necessary over the forms shown in Fig. 1 is to extend the rails 23 to the far track and tolengthen the actuating means, in this case the pistonrod 33.

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated a modified form wherein cables are employed for shifting the table. 38 indicates the cables, the ends'of which are connected directly to the table as at 39. WVhen it is desired to move the table from the siding to the main track the cables pass directly to pulleys l0 and then about a pulley 41 and terminate in a member d2 adapted to be attached to the locomotive or a car, or any other source. of power as is desired. To return the table from the main track to the siding the cable is passed over pulleys 43 arranged adjacent the far side of the sidings 16.

In Fig. 9 I have illustrated a further modification. As shown therein a screw ll is arranged transversely of the tracks and is provided at one end with a bearing 4-5 and at the other end with a. drum 46 around which is wound a cable 47 having a coupling d8 bymeans of which it may be attached to a locomotive, car or other source of power. The screw 44 is threaded through a block 49 fixed to the transfer table, so that it is obvious that by turning the screw the transfer table will be shifted. In order to turn the screw in the desired direction a double ratchet connection 50 is provided between the drum and the screw. As such a ratchet construction between a shaft and a member mounted thereon is common the same isnot illustrated herein in detail.

If preferred, the wheels. 22 may be dis pensed with and the track 23 provided with Vhen the table rollers 51 upon which transverse members 19 of the transfer table, may freely move.

In cases, where the'rolling stock to be moved s not of sufiicient weight to cause tion. 53indicates the slide which is bolted dire ctly to the rails 17. In each of the forms illustrated and described I employ the depending pivoted flanges 27 for malntaining the transfer table on the tracks 23.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a main track having unbroken rails and a siding, in combination with transversely arranged rails from the main track to the siding, a transfer table movably mounted on said transverse track and pivotally mounted means on said table for maintaining the table on said track, substantially as described.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the said pivoted members are provided with cam faces to facilitate the same passing over the main rails and maintaining a portion of said devices constantly in operative position, substantially as described.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the pivotally mounted members each comprise a pair of diverging arms extending below the tread of the rail and having their lower edges cam shaped with their outer ends extending above the level of the rail tread and having a recess between said arm suflicient to accommodate the ball of the rail, substantially as described.

4:. A device as set forth in claim 1 in combination with means for moving the transfer table betweenthe main track and the siding, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a main track having unbroken rails and a siding, in combination with transverse rails extending from the main track to the siding, a transfer table mounted on said transverse tracks and comprising a pair of rails, transverse members connecting the same, table ends of the table rails, ing said table and stops for limiting the movement of the table at the end of its travel, substantially as described.

device as set forth in claim 1, in combination with cables for reciprocating said table and means for attaching said cables to a source of energy, substantially as described.

7. A device as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by means for reciprocating the table comprising a screw in threaded connection with said table, a drum on said screw, a cable wound on said drum and means for attaching said cable to a source of energy, substantially as described.

device as set forth in claim 7 further characterized by a double ratchet connection between the drum and the screw, as and for the purpose specified.

9. A device of the class described comprising a main track having unbroken rails and a siding in combination with a trans verse track, a table mounted for reciprocation on said transverse track, said table comprising shoes slidably mounted on said track, means for maintaining said shoes on said track and rails stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES FARWELL.

Witnesses:

MARTHA R. McKrBBIN, GEO. B. NICKE unfianged means for mounting said on said track, means for maintaining. the same on the track, terminal shoes at the means for reciprocat fixed to said shoes, sub- 

